[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 170 (Tuesday, September 4, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50682-50683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17401]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-07-0728]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call 404-639-5960 
and send comments to Maryam I. Daneshvar, CDC Acting Reports Clearance 
Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail 
to [email protected].
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology. Written comments should be received 
within 60 days of this notice.

Proposed Project

    National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS)--(OMB 
Number 0920-0728) REVISION--National Center for Public Health 
Informatics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    CDC is responsible for the dissemination of nationally notifiable 
disease information and for monitoring and reporting the impact of 
epidemic influenza on mortality, Public Health Services Act (42 U.S.C. 
241). In April 1984, CDC Epidemiology Program Office (EPO) in 
cooperation with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 
(CSTE) and epidemiologists in six states began a pilot project, the 
Epidemiologic Surveillance Project (ESP). The ESP is designed to 
demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the computer 
transmission of surveillance data between CDC and the state health 
departments. Each state health department used its existing 
computerized disease surveillance system to transmit specific data 
concerning each case of a notifiable disease. CDC technicians developed 
computer software to automate the transfer of data from the state to 
CDC.
    In June 1985, CSTE passed a resolution supporting ESP as a workable 
system for electronic transmission of notifiable disease case reports 
from the states/territories to CDC. As the program was extended beyond 
the original group of states, EPO began to provide software, training 
and technical support to state health department staff overseeing the 
transition from hard-copy to fully automated transmission of 
surveillance data.
    By 1989, all 50 states were using this computerized disease 
surveillance system, which was then renamed the National Electronic 
Telecommunications System for Surveillance (NETSS) to reflect its 
national scope. Core surveillance data are transmitted to CDC by the 
states and territories through NETSS. NETSS has a standard record 
format for data transmitted and does not require the use of a specific 
software program. The ability of NETSS to accept records generated by 
different software programs makes it useful for the efficient 
integration of surveillance systems nationwide.
    Since 1999, the CDC, Epidemiology Program Office (EPO) has worked 
with CSTE, state and local public health system staff, and other CDC 
disease prevention and control program staff to identify information 
and information technology standards to support integrated disease 
surveillance. That effort is now focused on development of the National 
Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS), coordinated by CDC's 
Deputy Director for Integrated Health Information Systems.
    NEDSS will electronically integrate and link together a wide 
variety of surveillance activities and will facilitate more accurate 
and timely reporting of disease information to CDC and the state and 
local health departments. Consistent with recommendations from our 
state and local surveillance partners as described in the 1995 report, 
Integrating Public Health Information and Surveillance Systems, NEDSS 
includes data standards, an internet based communications 
infrastructure built on industry standards. It also includes policy-
level agreements on data access, sharing, burden reduction, and 
protection of confidentiality. To support NEDSS, CDC is supporting the 
development of an information system, the NEDSS Base System (NBS), 
which will use NEDSS technical and information standards, (http://www.cdc.gov/od/hissb/doc/NEDSSBaseSysDescriptioin.pdf). CDC will 
receive reports from the 57 respondents (50 state, 2 cities, and 5 
territorial health departments) using the NEDSS (NETSS replacement) 
umbrella of systems, that includes the National Electronic 
Telecommunications System for Surveillance (NETSS).
    There are no costs to the respondents other than their time to 
participate in the survey.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
                   Respondents                       Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)      (in hours)
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Weekly Reporting:
    States......................................              50              52               3           7,800
    Territories.................................               5              52           90/60             390
    Cities......................................               2              52               3             312
Annual Reporting:
    States......................................              50               1              16             800
    Territories.................................               5               1              10              50
    Cities......................................               2               1              16              32
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 50683]]

 
        Total...................................  ..............  ..............  ..............           9,384
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    Dated: August 23, 2007.
Maryam I. Daneshvar,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
 [FR Doc. E7-17401 Filed 8-31-07; 8:45 am]
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